Laura Ling and Euna Lee return to US

Neph,

You keep assuming you know who I am. You have classified me with the Republicans when I have outright told you I am liberal. Then you claim I am a housewife and I like Elizabeth Hasselbeck. As far as I know, Hasselbeck is a well known Republican and was a McCain supporter. You've claimed I'm young, even when I told you I wasn't (but would love to be). Two minutes on the web would have given you my whole background.

People in our world are moved by money. These reporters are college-educated women and should have used better judgement. The story of human trafficking is not new to anyone. There was no need for this company or any other to put human lives before a story. These women are at the will of their paycheck from this company. There is no need to coerce (or hold a gun as you mention Nephwrack), we're in a recession and these women need to support their families. There actions are not brave and courageous, but very naive. This company & Al Gore should have accepted responsibility for this whole situation. They haven't. Gore stood and announced the women's homecoming as if he was part of the hero party, he's not. He & his company were part of the problem.

Even though our country doesn't always protect our borders as well as we should, North Korea does. Kim Jong-il isn't looking to be liked, he's a leader of a country. Journalist are stifled in this country because that's part of Jong-il's rule. Democracy isn't a thought for this country right now, but just because we don't agree with it, doesn't mean we should disrespect and ignore the laws of the country. Any trespassing is regarded as terrorist activity by North Korea.

I'm not here to bash Gore. I'm on this site because I think he owes America the truth and needs to accept responsibility. Nephwrack, you will be surprised to hear that I voted for Gore. I have respected his stand on environmental issues and global warming. I enjoyed Gore's movie, An Inconvenient Truth. Yet, I'm ready for his truth, no matter how inconvenient it is for Mr. Gore. I know he has already been informed about these messages on this messageboard.

Nephwrack, you might as well just write it off man, you can not speak reason to a bipolar personality and expect change... in the end it just really is not worth it... I mean the naivety that it takes to think that ale gore has been "informed" about a posting on a message board... or would even consider responding to it?

Both of us have taken angles that would have persuaded either of us in the reverse role to the "man they are right, that sucks" moment. All we have accomplished is debunking a few arguments, but that solves nothing in the end, when beliefs are based off conjecture there is nothing you can do... you just have to let it go and write off that person... they are lost... just take the political stance and let it blow over, these people will not remember this in two weeks... it will be some other nonsensical Deboule.

So you are saying that Al Gore doesn't have people working for him that are smart enough to inform him of the bad press that is out there about him.

Maybe you are right on that one MilchMan. But that would also mean that those people wouldn't have informed Al Gore about sending these journalists on this mission. Yep, you might be right on that too Milchman.

But that leaves me with: WOW, if I owned a company and was clueless about what was going on in the company, then I must not be too smart of a businessman.

Each of you have tried to attack me personally. This isn't a personal matter. When someone doesn't agree with you, convince them with facts. You don't have any, but I've come with questions and to get the facts because as I see it this company has a lot to own up to. I might be wrong, but I am looking for facts to convince me, not opinions from other people who have the same or less knowledge than I do on the topic.

Indeed, sickening and scary all rolled into one.

Uncalled for!!! And your caps key seems to be stuck, fix it.

caps=rude.

booyah!

In America, we capture, imprison and deport illegal aliens on our own timeline.

In North Korea, they have their procedures. Ling & Lee are educated reporters. They are not heroes or freedom fighters. Courage is a word I use for our military men & women, naive is a word I use for people who travel to another country and don't know the law of the land. They entered a restricted area and knew the dangers. Ling's sister reported from North Korea three years ago.

Al Gore owns this company. Did he/his company send them to report from there? If so, he is responsible. We are all lucky that Bill Clinton has the class and intelligence to have helped to get these women home.

@thequeen ... of contradicting her self. You can not even keep your own ideas strait for two posts in a row... directly above this you claimed that "In America, we throw people who trespass or immigrate here illegally in jail, journalists are aware of this." and now you... well at least got it right that we deport them instead of sentencing them to 12 years of hard labor in Russian style internment camps (similar to the ones used by Nazis).

I just showed you that the United States has imprisoned people who are not citizens. You can go and research how much money America has spent on this because you are not aware of our government's policy.

Ling & Lee were traveling in a foreign land. North Korea is not a democratic government and they do imprison and force violators of even small laws into hard labor. That's the rule of their country and people from other nations need to respect that. No we may not like or agree with it, but they are not ready for democracy.

I'd like to know what concessions did the US have to make quietly with Kim Jong-il. He wanted more than this his picture taken with Bill Clinton. We have a right to know.

Needless to say if you or I were captured behind enemy lines, Bill Clinton would not be coming for us. Lori Berenson is an American who sits in a jail in South America. She's been there for 14 years and no one has gone to retrieve her or even make sure that she has received due process. http://www.freelori.org/

Lori Berenson? You mean the lady that is in jail in Peru for collaborating with a terrorist orgainzation that blows things and people up? You are comparing that to women who may or may not have even crossed a border line... are you serious? I mean because 20 years seems pretty light for that kind of charge.

By the way, criminal aliens and illegal aliens... two different things. One broke other laws as well... they go to jail... the others... they go back to where they came from.

Take your spinster BS somewhere else, I will have none of it.

Where was Bill and Al when Larry Plake, American citizen was kidnapped and held for months by Nigerian militants? Not a peep out of these punks. Now 30 expats from various nations are being held, a total of 85 kidnapped in 2009, 4 dead YTD!

If anyone on this site was a patriot they would scream to high heaven over the treatment of innocent, mostly hourly paid blue collar workers being attacked and abused daily in Nigeria. Regular guys doing their jobs have done tons more good than a couple of journalists that come and go with the wind, chasing the short term popular story. Guess what? We entered the country legally. Let Bill get his ass down to Nigeria and negotiate the freedom of the 30 expats currently being held in Malarial swamps, eating one bowl of rice a day, drinking water that the villagers defecate in, while being threatened daily with execution. Al. Bill, and Obama have not the will to do anything to help our citizens being held in capitivity. But, they are first in line to clamor for headlines by being flown in by private jet and treated like royalty!

Now, you loudmouth patriots, stand up like men and demand something should be done!

You will have none of anyone debating with you. The story of these girls is sketchy - no one is saying what they were doing in that area. They have admitted they were guilty. Lori's story is just as sketchy and she was served the law of the land, just like these women. Clinton and our government have made an attempt at making contact with Lori - but no one is going there to make sure she receives due process in a foreign land.

I love that you remarked about how young I am. I'd love to be young. You don't seriously think that these words are written by a young chick. Afterall isn't most of America just cheering and not questioning the real story? What did America have to bargain with a terrorist country for these women and their mistake?

So if you don't want to discuss, don't. But at least have common courtesy to be polite to others and not name call.

Queen, sorry for the Milchman's lack of manners. I suspect it is his fallback position after exhausting his intellectual capacity. I will apologise for him, as I doubt that he was ever taught manners as a child.

No, the GOP has proven that name calling is quite effective, I like stealing my enemies strategies and using them against them... if you are not a little girl then do not tell half truths like one.

Interesting how you now mention that they have and continue to try to do something even though the charges are far more serious...Though I am not sure that is actually true... regardless Kim was willing to cooperate, Peru is not, that is the difference here.

And for MoonLoon, we have been doing our best to locate and help eliminate FARC and bring back those citizens. SOCOM is very active in Columbia and Nigeria. In fact a SOCOM just commissioned an Africa Corp within the last year. Oh, and I have excellent manners, but when in Rome.

Milch, you are welcome to visit me in Nigeria. Not exactly a vacation spot, but it can be bearable.

The only reason anyone did anything in this situation was because they were either at fault, being paid, owed a favor, etc.

Lori in Peru - well there's nothing for America to gain there and her family isn't high profile enough to get the publicity that this situation got.

You are saying that Ling and Lee are courageous women. I'd love to see their courage as they work on helping other Americans who have made mistakes get back to US soil, rather than profiting and writing a book about their experience.

You don't have any answers to my questions either:
- What story were these girls covering? Were they sent by Gore's company?
- Who is accepting responsibility?
- I'd also love to know the amount of money the US has spent on this fiasco.

Yes, we are lucky that we can wave flags and cheer that they are home, but the real story needs to be revealed.

-They were there covering a story on human trafficking, specifically of females.
-They are employed by Current...
-No money was spent by the US government

Satisfied? 2 minutes of searching and no ruckus would have answered those inane questions... but instead you went all ballistic after listening to Bill Oreilly or some other nut job.

But I guess you can not help it, you are the type A personality "if momma ain't happy ain't nobody happy" bipolar... yeah, it is so bad I do not even have to meet you to tell that... calm down, take your meds (you do actually need them) and stop making wild accusations and jumping to conclusions.

End of story, thank your for the ordeal. Goodbye.

______________________________________________

I duno MoonLoon, I kind of like Nigeria... in some respects, if you could get rid of or cut down on the Malaria, Typhoid, and Yellow Fever it might be an excellent place for tourism... especially adventure tourism.

If they work for Current and they were sent by Current then Current is responsible for this. Ask people if they knew Al Gore's company sent these ladies - they don't. It is a dangerous area and these women should have used better judgement.

Stories about this case have been deleted. You knew that right?

Your lack of maturity to discuss an issue with anyone who doesn't agree with you is obvious. Bill O'Reilly is a republican. If you read any of my posts, you would have figured out I am very liberal. Yet, I am tired of our government and country having to make concessions for people who can't follow the laws of our country and other countries. Respect is part of this situation. Yes, a story is important, but at what cost?

You believe that the United States government didn't have to pay for this? Of course we did. We certainly had to make some deal with Kim Jong-il. He released the woman because he benefited.

Respect is the issue - between people and countries - And even you and I. I haven't once called you a name, but you can't seem to disagree without calling someone a name - grow up!

So the other nut was most likely Lou Dobbs... awesome... glad you are a liberal, we need more non thinkers on this side... balance things out a little.

You could consider that Kim knew it was far to big of a risk holding on to the journalists and just wanted someone well known to come and formally apologize for them in front of his media so that he did not look like a coward which is what he is afraid of... that and he suffers from the same disorder as you, he is not a rapid cycler though... you appear to be.

Another way of saying this would be... This country does not negotiate for prisoners!!! That policy was not waved for this.

And see, you lie as well (mainly to yourself)l... you say that you do not insult, but you do... you just choose to look past it. You can say what you want about my maturity level, the fact of the mater is that I am right, you know it, you have let me get underneath your skin as well, and that disturbs you.

I really am done with this conversation now, you can have the last word if you would like. Take care, and watch out for zealotry.

In America, we throw people who trespass or immigrate here illegally in jail, journalists are aware of this.

I want to know the real story as to why these two educated women were over in this country.

We hail Bill Clinton for bringing them back (and rightfully so), but I want to know if Al Gore's company asked these women to go there to get a story. If that's the case, then Gore isn't the hero, is he?

If these women were independent reporters, then he might be. But I think they are employed by Current and responsibility for this fiasco could rests with them. I'm not sure, but that's why I am asking.

Wrong, we deport them, we do not imprison them... do not even know the laws and policies or your own country... this is why our country is screwed... not socialism or liberal policy... its ignorance.

I think you need to change your name slightly, queenoftheclichezealots is more fitting.

Of course we imprison illegal aliens here in America Nephwrack"

"Congress this year provided $400 million nationwide to cover the cost of keeping illegal immigrants behind bars — less than what was provided a decade ago. In that same period, California’s share of the federal money has declined from 68% to 39%."

Oh, but lets not mention that the ones behind bars are there for things like, murder, drug trafficking, extortion, racketeering, and all manor of other very illegal things, and often were given a brake at least once and sent home. You can get a DUI in this country as an illegal alien, they send you home, you can beat someone to an inch of there life, or get caught with a gun as an alien, and you get sent home... that is it. You are trying to spin a tale that fits what you want to say, that is not how the world works little girl.

umm queen? where did i say that we do not imprison illegal aliens? you're acting like a gossipy little teenager. and generally, no we generally dont imprision illegal aliens, for the record. i live in california. i should know a bit more about it than a new yorker.

I feel the same way.

YES WE ARE GLAD THESE AMERICANS ARE HOME.

But why did these two college-educated, experienced reporters not use common sense?

Ridiculous claim anyway, the only other head of state that would fall into this category is Ahmadinejad (I refuse to give him a title), or Ayatollah Ali Khamenei... and they flat out refused the actual president... so... where is this going.

I have a little song I like to sing a few times a day, it goes something like this "Stupid people... there everywhere, stupid people... ... ..."

Besides, these ridiculous claims are not really going to detract from the fact that Clinton got these women out of a prison labor camp in North Korea... I mean, that is freaking awesome. I would say the same thing if George Bush or Castro had done it too...

wow, really?

you choose on this story to make a complete ass of yourself?

if you dont like it, dont read it.
or make up your own news site.

your lack of value and concern for human life is disgusting.

Happy Birthday, Lisa!

You are not a big fan of reading are you? Or looking up things before you open your mouth. The trip was payed for by a philanthropist... the only person this cost anything was current and Steve Bing. Both of whom were more than happy to foot the bill to get them home. Journalism takes balls, sometimes you have to go into harms way to get to the truth... and those of us who appreciate actually knowing the truth are eternally grateful to them, especially when they do not succeed and are put into prison labor camps.

:ridiculous

You are absolutely correct!

You're right they should have made them walk. Like I imagine you walk/ride a bicycle everywhere, don't drive a car, use sustainable energy and generally don't create any form of carbon footprint.

I am certain that he has gained movie rights to this story. You give a little, you get a lot!

what would you have said if it was someone rescuing Richard Pearle? yea, that guy. the one that the Bush Administration refused to let his employer pay the ransom asked by his kidnappers in iraq? i suppose it would be flag waving and chanting U-S-A? he ended up dead on bush's watch.

suggest you check out the Rohde story - very interesting reasoning from NYT editor as to why they didn't discuss the case - seems applicable to the Current situation as well. We will see as things play out in the press - including on Ctv - in the coming days.

I guess the trouble with some people is that they are so far up there own arse they don't stop to think about the bigger picture and the implications. While it is admirable that some people just wanted to convey there sympathies regarding the situation and were frustrated that it didn't seem anything was being done, there were others so hellbent on criticism and searching for conspiracy theories in every little thing they assume that Current were censoring the news and hiding the truth. The editor of the NYT in the interview summed it up perfectly, they were just looking out for there people and didn't want to turn them into valuable commodities that could have hindered the return home.

According to South Korean reports, the two were on the Chinese side of the border when they were detained.

Do you believe in freedom of press?

I thought this is what attracted many people to Current, the fact they have the kahuna's to tell the stories others won't.

Did you mean to say, Cojones?

Amen - exactly my thoughts!

could you post the recipie for shanghai tea?

totally

i agree

I think America deserves the real story. Yes, we are glad they are back.

But what responsibility do they and the company they work for have?

OH NO!

Current is running rampant with trolls from all the media coverage.

Trying to remember Mario's advice about not feeding them and focusing on the fact LAURA AND EUNA ARE BACK!

@Godsnliberals

wow, you are really something, arent you? at least someone had the balls to stand up for these two. where was the bravery or integrity of the GOP administration when Richard Pearle was kidnapped and killed?

in fact, i seem to remember that the shrub refused to let the NYT pay the ransom that the trrrists were asking for Pearle.

in short shut your damn hole about this being a bad thing. if there's mud in the GOP eye, it's there because it should be.

so "il Jim kim" is your hero now? now that shrub is gone we should respect a dictator?

I'm glad you made this comment!

Funny you would mention paying for the plane flight. The flight was donated by Steve Bing, a real estate developer and movie producer with a net worth of almost $1 billion. I don't think he's going bankrupt because he helped Bill Clinton fly to North Korea.

URL changed. Oh, well, I guess it was just me.

@Samply

It wasn't just you, I've switched up the link so there shouldn't be any more problems displaying now.

:-)

I think commercial posts break's Imageshack's TOS. So, you might have a problem. I tried the original source. The image they allow you to use at your site is smaller. The best solution is to 1, get Mariana's permission to re-use her photo, which I guess you have already to uploaded to Imageshack? 2. Then blog about it here, at Current, which has uploads. After that, deep linking from Current TV by Current TV should be fine.

yes they can/did now its bill violated the rules for dealing with terriost and all countries from now on are going to want a such a high offical to deal with them told ya theyd do it some how some way